Frequency and Voluntary Contraction-Dependent Activation of Tonic Vibration Reflex and Bone Myoregulation Reflex (WBV-BMR)

February 17, 2026 updated by: Nida dogan, Istanbul Physical Medicine Rehabilitation Training and Research Hospital

Whole-Body Vibration in Rehabilitation: Frequency and Voluntary Contraction-Dependent Activation of Tonic Vibration Reflex and Bone Myoregulation Reflex

When vibration is applied, sensors inside the muscle send signals to the nervous system, leading to automatic muscle activation. In this research, vibration will be applied using different body postures (such as standing or semi-squatting) and different vibration frequencies to understand how body position and vibration intensity influence muscle responses. Muscle activity will be recorded using surface electrodes placed on the skin. All procedures are non-invasive, painless, and do not involve medication or surgery.

The goal of this study is to improve understanding of how whole-body vibration affects muscle and nerve function. The findings may contribute to future rehabilitation strategies

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

This study investigates how whole-body vibration (WBV) affects muscle reflex activity in healthy adults. Whole-body vibration will be delivered using a vibration platform that transmits mechanical oscillations through the lower limbs and trunk while participants maintain specific postures.

The primary objective is to examine how different vibration frequencies and different body postures influence reflex-related muscle activation. Secondary objectives include evaluating how vibration modifies neuromuscular excitability and the timing and magnitude of reflex responses.

Participants will be exposed to multiple experimental conditions across separate sessions. These conditions will include different postural tasks (such as upright standing and semi-squat) and different vibration frequencies, allowing comparison of how mechanical load distribution and sensory input alter reflex modulation. Each vibration application will last 15 seconds, and rest periods will be provided between trials to minimize fatigue and ensure measurement reliability.

Muscle activity will be recorded using surface electromyography (EMG) electrodes placed over the soleus muscle. Reflex responses under different postures and vibration frequencies will be recorded during vibration. Data processing and analysis will be performed offline after the experiment is completed.

This study is based on previous findings indicating that whole-body vibration can stimulate muscle spindle afferent receptors as well as osteocyte-related mechanoreceptors within bone tissue, thereby increasing afferent sensory input and transiently modulating spinal and supraspinal motor control mechanisms, including reflex excitability and motor unit recruitment patterns. By systematically varying posture and vibration frequency, the study aims to clarify how vibration-induced sensory input interacts with biomechanical and neural factors to shape reflex response behavior.

The findings obtained from this study are expected to contribute to a more effective and targeted use of whole-body vibration in neuromuscular training, balance rehabilitation, enhancement of movement performance, and support of bone health. Furthermore, the results are anticipated to provide a scientific basis for the development of optimized vibration-based intervention protocols that consider both neuromuscular and musculoskeletal effects in clinical and athletic settings.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

40

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Bahcelievler
      • Istanbul, Bahcelievler, Turkey (Türkiye), 34180
        • Istanbul Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Training Research Hospital

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Being between 20-40 years old
  • Volunteering to participate in the research

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Refusal to participate in the study
  • Intolerance to whole-body vibration (WBV)
  • History of vertigo
  • Presence of malignant disease
  • Presence of chronic systemic disease
  • Pregnancy

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Other
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Low-Frequency WBV - Upright Posture
Participants will receive whole-body vibration at low frequencies (30, 32, 34, 36 Hz) while standing in an upright posture. Each vibration bout will last 15 seconds, with rest periods between trials. Soleus muscle activity will be recorded using surface electromyography during vibration.
Device: whole-body vibration
Participants will receive whole-body vibration using a vibration platform under different frequency and posture conditions. Vibration will be applied in short bouts (e.g., 15 seconds per trial) with rest periods between trials to minimize fatigue. Reflex and muscle activity responses will be recorded during vibration using surface electromyography (EMG)
Experimental: Low-Frequency WBV - Semi-Squat Posture
Participants will receive whole-body vibration at low frequencies while maintaining a semi-squat posture. Each vibration bout will last 15 seconds, with rest periods between trials. Soleus muscle activity will be recorded using surface electromyography during vibration.
Device: whole-body vibration
Participants will receive whole-body vibration using a vibration platform under different frequency and posture conditions. Vibration will be applied in short bouts (e.g., 15 seconds per trial) with rest periods between trials to minimize fatigue. Reflex and muscle activity responses will be recorded during vibration using surface electromyography (EMG)
Experimental: High-Frequency WBV - Upright Posture
Participants receive whole-body vibration at high frequency (40, 42, 44, 46 Hz) in an upright posture. Vibration will be applied in 15-second bouts with rest intervals.Soleus muscle activity will be recorded using surface electromyography during vibration.
Device: whole-body vibration
Participants will receive whole-body vibration using a vibration platform under different frequency and posture conditions. Vibration will be applied in short bouts (e.g., 15 seconds per trial) with rest periods between trials to minimize fatigue. Reflex and muscle activity responses will be recorded during vibration using surface electromyography (EMG)
Experimental: High-Frequency WBV - Semi-Squat Posture
Participants will receive whole-body vibration at high frequencies while standing in a semi-squat posture. Each vibration exposure will last 15 seconds, with rest intervals between trials. Soleus muscle activity will be recorded using surface electromyography during vibration.
Device: whole-body vibration
Participants will receive whole-body vibration using a vibration platform under different frequency and posture conditions. Vibration will be applied in short bouts (e.g., 15 seconds per trial) with rest periods between trials to minimize fatigue. Reflex and muscle activity responses will be recorded during vibration using surface electromyography (EMG)

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Latency of the soleus reflex during whole-body vibration
Time Frame: Day 1 (During a single experimental session)
The primary outcome measure is the latency of the soleus reflex activated by whole-body vibration (WBV). Reflex latency will be calculated using a cumulative averaging method. The vibration stimulus will be recorded via an accelerometer mounted on the vibration platform (LIS344ALH; ±6 g; ECOPACK®, Mansfield, TX, USA). The onset of the mechanical stimulus and the onset of the reflex response will be identified using cumulative averaging. Reflex latency will be defined as the time interval between the onset of the mechanical stimulus and the onset of the reflex response detected on surface electromyography (EMG), and will be expressed in milliseconds (ms).
Day 1 (During a single experimental session)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Istanbul Physical Medicine Rehabilitation Training and Research Hospital

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

December 15, 2025

Primary Completion (Actual)

January 25, 2026

Study Completion (Actual)

January 26, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 28, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 3, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

February 4, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

February 18, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 17, 2026

Last Verified

February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • ND 2025-79

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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